Localis

Localis, officially Localis Research Ltd, is a right-wing think-tank focused on local government. Along with Policy Exchange – with which it is closely associated – it has been central to the development of Tory thinking on local government and a legitimising political rhetoric stressing local accountability juxtaposed with bureaucratic and dictatorial central government.

Contents

Origins and history

Localis was set up in late 2001 by three senior Conservatives counsellors; Lord Hanningfield, Colin Barrow and Paul Bettison. It was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee (i.e. without shareholders) on 14 September 2001 and was launched on or around 3 October 2001. [1] All three founders were powerful figures in local government. Lord Hanningfield, who was later charged under the Theft Act for his Parliamentary Expenses claims, [2] was the Leader of Essex County Council and vice-chairman of the Local Government Association. He was appointed Chairman. Colin Barrow, a millionaire businessman, was then a senior member of Suffolk County Council and chairman of the Local Government Improvement and Development Agency (IDEA). Paul Bettison was a member of the executive of the Local Government Association and leader of Bracknell Forest Borough Council.

Links with Policy Exchange

Localis co-founder Colin Barrow was one of the key backers of Michael Portillo’s campaign in the 2001 Conservative leadership contest. [3]Barrow donated use of his Georgian house at 8 Barton Street as Portillo’s campaign HQ. [4] The £10 million property, [5] located only a few minutes walk from the Houses of Parliament, was Localis’s official address until July 2003.

Until May 2010 Localis was run by its CEO James Morris, overseen by a board of directors chaired by Merrick Cockell, the leader of Kensington and Chelsea Borough Council. Morris stepped down as CEO and as a director in May 2010 after winning a Conservative seat in the general elections that same month.[7] In July 2010 a new Chief Executive was announced: Alex Thomson, formerly the Conservative Party's specialist policy adviser for decentralisation and local government, who was 'leading on the development of the Party's policies on local government, housing and planning.' He was due to take up the role from 16 August 2010. [8]

The board includes founder directors Lord Hanningfield and Paul Bettison, the director of Policy ExchangeNeil O'Brien and the London Property Developer and Kent County Councillor Paul Carter. [9] The table on the right shows the current and former directors of Localis Research Ltd as registered with Companies House as at 19 February 2010, including their date of appointments and resignation (if applicable) and their stated profession.

Anthony Browne, who left to join Boris Johnson's London Mayoral administration, records in the Mayor of London Gifts and hospitality register that the Localis Board Dinner was held at the House of Lords on 7 October 2008. [10]

↑This income is described in the 2007 accounts as ‘Share of research projects paid by Localis Research Ltd’. In the previous statements it is referred to as ‘Recharge of research projects to Localis Research Ltd’. Copies of Policy Exchange’s accounts are available on its Spinprofiles page.